About Us: Community Affairs

Memorial Sloan Kettering gynecologic oncologist and surgeon Carol Brown speaks with
children at a community health fair in Harlem.

Memorial Sloan Kettering offers an array of programs designed for a wide audience of patients, their families, caregivers, and community members. These programs help to educate the public about cancer-related topics such as prevention, screening, and treatment. In addition to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center's institutional initiatives, our physicians, nurses, and other staff members frequently volunteer their time and cancer expertise in partnership with other organizations in the community.

Our Office of Community Affairs also provides our local community members with up-to-date information about activities at Memorial Sloan Kettering that may be of interest.

Our most immediate community members reside in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. However, as a globally recognized, comprehensive center for cancer treatment, research, and training, we also maintain a broad view of community that encompasses the local area, the United States, and the world.

We welcome opportunities to hear from members of our community and to form partnerships with community organizations. To share your thoughts, e-mail us at communityaffairs@mskcc.org.

Community Programs & ServicesMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center supports initiatives to reach the general public, the medically underserved, and minority populations. Our programs and services are designed to improve access to cancer information, prevention, care, and treatment advances. Additionally, we aim to reduce the impact of cancer health disparities among minority and medically underserved populations.

Community NewsletterCommunity Matters is a newsletter for neighbors of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. It informs members of the local community about our services and activities, including construction that may affect you.

Community Service PlanMemorial Sloan Kettering’s Community Service Plan details our efforts to meet the healthcare needs of the community, improve access to healthcare services, and provide financial assistance to patients in need.

Proposed East 74th Street FacilityMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and The City University of New York (CUNY)/Hunter College jointly propose to develop a new complex on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

cancer (KAN-ser)

A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade nearby tissues. Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. There are several main types of cancer. Carcinoma is a cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is a cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukemia is a cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood. Lymphoma and multiple myeloma are cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system. Central nervous system cancers are cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord. Also called malignancy.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

prevention (pree-VEN-shun)

In medicine, action taken to decrease the chance of getting a disease or condition. For example, cancer prevention includes avoiding risk factors (such as smoking, obesity, lack of exercise, and radiation exposure) and increasing protective factors (such as getting regular physical activity, staying at a healthy weight, and having a healthy diet).

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

screening (SKREE-ning)

Checking for disease when there are no symptoms. Since screening may find diseases at an early stage, there may be a better chance of curing the disease. Examples of cancer screening tests are the mammogram (breast), colonoscopy (colon), and the Pap test and HPV test (cervix). Screening can also include checking for a person’s risk of developing an inherited disease by doing a genetic test.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)